Electel Blogspot

A quartet of electric vans from the PSA Group have been selected as the International Van of the Year 2021 by a jury from 24 countries, writes Brian Byrne . They are the Peugeot e-Expert, Citroën ë-Dispatch (the Jumpy nameplate used in Europe), Opel Vivaro-e, and Vauxhall Vivaro-e. They have a range of up to 330kms in their extended range versions, which was a significant factor in their win. The vans are designed around the EMP2 multi- energy platform to offer zero emission mobility for the passenger car as well as LCV markets. The electric vans are due in Ireland during the first half of 2021.  

Opel's new generation Corsa landed in Ireland in February, and I didn't get a chance to drive one until recently because that pesky lockdown got in the way, writes Brian Byrne . So the first version I had for review happened to be the electric one, the Corsa-e. But let's look at the model generally first. It's the sixth generation of a nameplate which has probably been the driving instruction vehicle for two generations of young people. It may also have been the first car for many of them. And also one for many older people downsizing into retirement. Getting the Corsa to its new space took some extra time. The sixth version was delayed pending the outcome of merger negotiations between the GM-owned German brand and the Peugeot-Citroen PSA Group. So instead of a usual seven or eight years between generational changes, this one took an even dozen. It's an all-new car, with no carryover from its predecessors, instead being a close cousin to Peugeot's new 208. Bu...

Opel Ireland is the new sponsor of the RTE Radio 1 Today with Claire Byrne Show, writes Trish Whelan . The mid-morning show will feature stories of the day, sharp analysis and features. Opel Ireland’s 12-month sponsorship of the show coincides with the introduction of a whole host of new Opel passenger car and light commercial vehicle models that will arrive on the Irish market within the next six months, together with the rapid electrification of the Opel range and the unveiling of a strong, new exterior and interior visual identity for the brand. Emma Toner, Marketing Director at Leeson Motors, Opel Importer in Ireland said the sponsorship of the Today with Claire Byrne show is the perfect platform on which to build awareness of the Opel brand journey. She added: “It is a hugely exciting time for the Opel brand and our dealers. With new models such as the electric Corsa-e and Grandland X plug-in hybrid just landed, a new electric Zafira Life and Vivara commercial vehicle on the way, ...

Opel in Ireland will be offering the new generation Mokka with petrol and diesel engines as well as a fully electric version from next Spring, writes Trish Whelan . Power outputs of the traditionally engined cars will be 100hp and 130hp, and there will be automatic availability with the petrol units. The company revealed a new SRi Line trim at the weekend which will have its own signature styling.

1963 Pontiac Grand Prix at Monaco's Hotel de Paris Arthur "Art" M. Fitzpatrick (1919-2015) is famed in illustration circles for his classic 1959-1972 series of illustrations for Pontiac made in collaboration with Van Kaufman.  Fitzpatrick rendered the cars and Kaufman furnished the settings and people.  There was some overlap in that settings and people might be reflected on the cars. I previously wrote about him and the Pontiac illustrations  here .  Also, I met him about 15 years ago at the Pebble Beach Concours and still have his business card. Fitzpatrick's Wikipedia entry is here .  An interview of him is here , and includes the following regarding his way of working on Pontiac ads such as that shown above: "I photographed a car [for General Motors testimony at a congressional hearing] … same position/view with 3 different lenses, 35, 50, and 120mm. Photographers, for reasons that continue to escape me, were using long lenses, which shorten a car, making th...

One of the labels I attached to this post is "Badge Engineering" -- where different car brands are based on the same basic body and differences are trivial.  That's essentially true of two of the three cars discussed here, but slightly less true of the third. That third car is Cadillac's Catera model that I wrote about here .  At the time I didn't show the Opel Omega that it was based on, hence the current post. Further background on the Camera that offered by General Motors for model years 1997-2001 can be found here . At the time, GM owned Germany's Opel firm and England's Vauxhall, the latter selling rebadged Opels with right-side steering. The Wikipedia entry on the Opel (and Vauxhall) Omega is here . Cateras were based on the Omega B1 (1994-1999) and Omega B2 (1999-2003) that had few exterior differences.  Even though Cateras were built in Opel's Rüsselsheim factory, they were modified to satisfy presumed American tastes for a sporty Cadillac.  U...

A while ago I wrote about General Motors' Chevrolet Chevette, a small car that sold fairly well despite being unimpressive in many ways.  The Chevette was part of a 1970s GM initiative to have a basic platform serve as the basis for cars branded and assembled in the various parts of the world where GM had a presence. That was the 1973 T Platform , and the link lists the many models associated with it. Given the badge engineering theme of the present post, I will focus on two models that share the same two-door hatchback body -- an American Chevrolet Chevette and a German Opel Kadett C "City." The Chevette's wheelbase is one inch (25 mm) longer than the Opel's, but most body features are the same aside from the front ends, as noted below.  Motors and interior trim also differ, but so far as styling is concerned, the cars are in badge engineering territory. Gallery The Opel Kadett C using the T Platform entered production in 1973.  The car shown here is from a fe...